Activities With Children

::::Here is how I fixed the tag issue on my Carter’s clothing::::
Muslin+thread+ fabric marker = this

Yesterday was exactly one month till my *due date*. Forgive me for constantly talking about how I can’t believe it. When I say to Zach ( as I hold up a newborn onesie)
“Can you believe we are going to have someone in the house this small?” he says “Yes, I know”. I guess he too is scared and excited.. but doesn’t vocalize it as much. I’ve read sometimes men don’t bond with the baby till they are born. Whereas I bonded I think before the first kick- at the first sonogram. I think he’ll be a great father, he loves playing with toys for starters!

In the craft world- there is someone whose work is so beautiful and inspiring. I regularly read her blog and look at her shop with yearning. With two little ones- she finds the time to make gorgeous quilted goodness. She’s having a giveaway- where by linking here it adds me to become a possible JCASA quilt winner! The fabrics she uses are so crisp and pretty. I can only hope one day I’ll learn to quilt with such skill! One of my favorites from her new quilt is the tiny pink clothesline fabric- who thinks of this adorable stuff?! I think my favorite colors would be a brown, green and maybe orange together.(thinking fall) I wonder if that could work? Maybe yellow?

Last weekend I mentioned going thrifting and getting some sheets::::


::3 Full- Size Flat Sheets:: One day I hope to make a skirt and maybe a tote and something for Hazel and pillows and, and, and….

We also found this Sesame Street Twin sheet set:::

This is one of the little crafts I made a few years back. It is a Styrofoam cone- covered in fabric and then decorated to look like a holiday tree. I used some tape measure for the bottom trim. I’ll be posting a tutorial in the next week or so, along with a scrap garland tutorial. They’re both very easy- but I am a visual learner- maybe you are too.

I felt like I needed to take this silly photo- just to have..

:::A little project I started this past week::::

Happy Halloween all you Tricksters~

Maybe next year Hazel can sport this little costume, by Beckaboo!
She has a great shop
full of monsters!

:::I hope you have plans for a wonderful candy coma or a silly costume party or maybe just a horror fest on the couch with your special someone- either way enjoy the moment!

Yay! We reached our 300th sale this past weekend! So exciting! It has been a long road of handmade goodness.I’m so thankful to all of our beloved customers~

I’ve been trying to figure out what steps to take for the next few weeks/months for our shop. I hate to get rid of custom orders, but alas I need to. They take a lot of time and effort and I am just not sure what the next year will bring (aside from giggles, cuddling and some dirty diapers). So I think the only option is to freeze our custom orders for now.

The Vagabond Scarves will be in the shop by Friday, October 31st. I urge you to take a gander!Different sizes & colors.

Tonight we’ll carve our pumpkins. One from the market- the other from my husband’s step-father’s garden. At some point today I will be picking up Halloween candy.(what to get- what to get- maybe sending a preggo isn’t the best idea!?) This will be the first year we’ll actually have some Trick or Treaters! I’m so excited! We also have our costumes to work on for the Halloween party on Saturday. Plus, I need to finish up the birthday girl’s gifts and get started on a few coffee cuffs as Thank-You gifts. A lot to do. I’m already feeling out of breath! I’ve opened most of the windows to entertain the kitties and let the fresh air in. Last night I was very sick, so I’m trying to get a lot done but in a mosey sort of way. No actual time constraints!! For an easy-on-the-tummy dinner I’m making soup.
What are your plans?
xo
M

The false alarm I am referring to is my 6:45am call of serious abdominal cramps and terrible back pains. As an inexperienced pregnant woman I thought, is this it? Is my labor starting? Then I remembered my midwife saying if you take a hot bath/shower and the pain goes away- it isn’t true labor. So I took a hot shower and then went back to bed. When I woke an hour or so later I felt a little better. Whew! No Baby Yet! As I looked around the apartment and the baby’s crib ( full of clean linens,clean baby clothes & other items) I thought- dear Lord- don’t come just yet.. we still have SO much to do!
With that cue, Zach hooked up the car seat and we took some of the other things out of the closet. I even started decorating for Christmas! Yes, this will be by far the earliest I’ve ever started, but I wanted to have most things ready so whenever Hazel arrives, I won’t have too much to do by way of the holidays.We traded (most) of our Harry Potter busts for our collection of (mostly) holiday-oriented snow globes. I hung a wreath and scattered a few semi-neutral winter pieces around.

The new friend I mentioned is this guy:::

(or girl) Zach found in the bushes by our recycling bin. Much smaller than any other kittens we’ve seen around our apt. complex. Z had been feeding and checking on it all day- he said he couldn’t tell how old it was. When we walked back over to it, he was asleep on the paper plate we had fed him on earlier. The plate we used was a cake plate, so can get a visual of how tiny. As soon as it saw me, it ran directly into my arms! It was pretty amazing considering it was hissing and scared of Zach at first.So I carried it back to our apartment and directly to the bathroom. He mewed, we fed him some soft kitty food and Cat’s Milk ( I don’t even want to know). We called a bunch of places trying to find a home for him, but it was 5 on a weekend night- so we didn’t have much luck. After writing emails to friends and family- including this photo in all of them- we got a few replies for possible homes. Then out of nowhere- my parents decided to adopt him. They’ve always had kitties and now have Bean- the one-eye-wonder cat and thought maybe it was time to get another. My mom had such a positive attitude about it- she was grateful they have a roof over their heads and that they could take this little guy in. At one point we we’re scared we would have to raise a 3rd kitty with a baby on the way… he/she is adorable- but kittens are a lot of work so you can see why we we’re so grateful to find him a home. Now we’ll still be able to watch the baby grow and play with him!

Friday I started making these::::



They’re little girl ornaments.You can hang them on a door knob, a tree branch or anywhere you want something sweet. I’ve filled them with a mix of organic lavender or rosebuds and polyfil. Just in time for the holidays!

The Halloween party I planned for- we passed on. My tummy just wasn’t into leaving the house. Here is what I would have worn- minus the yellow stripes

This is where I’ve started sitting and taking cat naps, reading my favorite stories to Hazel and dreaming of when she’ll arrive. The pillow and crocheted rug (!) are both from my dear friend Suzanne, who just moved. I love this little nook. Once Hazel arrives it will be my nursing corner as well.

Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite books to read to Hazel:::

A Child’s Calendar, by John Updike- illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman
::::::::::::::::::
November
The stripped and shapely
Maple grieves
The loss of her
Departed leaves.

The ground is hard,
As hard as stone.
The year is old,
The birds have flown.

And yet the world,
Nevertheless,
Displays a certain loveliness-

The beauty of
The bone. Tall God
Must see our souls
This way, and nod.

Give thanks: we do,
Each in his place
Around the table
During grace.
:::::::::::::::::::::

It goes through every month. If I am running short on time I read her my favorite months or just the two I think she’ll be born in ( Nov & Dec).
Hope you enjoy it~
Happy Monday
M

Friday~
Yesterday I did actually make applesauce and it came out delicious! I can’t wait till our apple-picking adventure at the end of September. We’re taking my mom picking for her birthday!

Last night after Zach went to bed, I did some tidying and sewing. I’ve been wanting to make a simple bunting of sorts for my little studio nook shelf and here is how it came out:



Hello Kitty in a Squirrel Suit!

Saturday~

This morning we woke and had a yummy breakfast of egg whites, toast and potatoes. Bland enough to soothe my tummy, but delicious enough to make my pallet smile. We ran errands to the post, the market (where we picked up a My Little Pony Halloween addition- for baby,of course)and even hit a yard sale. With the dollars in my wallet I managed to spend two and the other went into one of the various-crazy Japanese piggie banks we’re saving for baby.

Quirky, vintage banks- all thrifted- all from Japan. The .00 was spent on some fabric( over a yard of flannel, white with teddy bears wearing pink overalls & pink engineer hats) the other dollar was spent on an adorable jumper, that reminded me of mini version of
this lovely lady, Secret Lentil.

We also hit the library, who was having a SALE. After renting becoming Jane and King of California ( two movies I’ve wanted to see, but knew Z did not) I headed down to the basement. I found Z with an arm-load of children’s books. Together we found vintage classics, old favorites and a few new adventures.




we found this kitty curled up in a box of books, he was only 10 cents! So we bought him too!

In the mail today, I received 2 copies of Rockland Magazine(a local publication)- where I was one of the women featured in the September issue ” Women & the Web”- I’m very excited and will scan in a copy ASAP. It will also be available to read here very soon.

Now with the house quiet(the cats are sleeping and Z is away for the night at his Manly Movie Night(he and his friends get together- make dinner and watch movies that are manly-yet easily laughable & make-funable (new word?) Think Mystery Science Theater)), I’ve just pulled
these brownies from the oven and I’m going to work on a few projects, the baby quilt, a small tree scene on an embroidery hoop and spiffing up a new bulletin board for the kitchen. Of course I’ll make time for some brownie noshing, tea drinking and magazine/catalogue browsing.
Sunday & Monday~
Sunday was spent working on a piece of embroidery for the baby’s wall and one for a tote I made my niece for her birthday. We watched a lot of movies,I went through some old boxes of childhood toys( think My Little Ponies with no tails and ratty manes) and we found some winter boxes full of scarves & hats & gloves- nestled away a few years ago and forgotten about.I love when that happens b/c it feels like we’ve just gone shopping in a store that knows exactly what you love!

Today we ran to Ikea, alas our crib was out of stock- in fact all cribs were out. So we’ll make a trek next Friday. We still managed to find some goodies. We hit the market on the way back for a stock up on bagels,juice & other Trader Joe favorites. Tonight I’ll take apart our current coffee table ( the edges are kind of dangerous) and although I love the spaciousness- we have an inherited wooden one from Z’s family which is lovely.
I want to make some carrot puree, banana/pumpkin bread and so many things now- tomorrow-this week. I’m excited.
We had a very full vacation weekend. As I look over at Z asleep on the couch with Hermione, I’d say they feel the same.
xo
M

I haven’t been buying on Etsy or anywhere, really. I am trying to be good, but when I saw these two things, one decorative the other totally useful- I had to have them.

Halloween & Autumn in general around here is a BIG deal. We dress up, get candy
(although we never get trick or treaters- so we eat the candy) and use to have an annual Halloween costume party- which maybe we will, this year?! It kicks off my favorite time of year- FALL!

This graphic has always been one of my favorites
I found it at
The Broken House on Etsy. She has some really great folk & primitive pieces.

The next thing I needed
The colors just pop and the price was great- you can find more here at Raspberry Baby. She makes wonderful slings too. They also offer matching sling-bib-burp cloth trios- which is a great shower gift!

Have a good weekend! I’ll be happily awaiting the arrival of my packages!
xo
M

16 more days until Halloween!!!!

Having a party or just a little gathering before the kiddos go out and trick or treat?
If you have the time and motivation, do this for your goblins and ghouls.

Decorate your backyard to resemble a scary graveyard or just add lots of scary things.

You can add cut out black felt bats, plastic spiders, fake web, fake tombstone, jack o lanterns and even scary music.

Hide prizes and treats amongst the plants and decorations and let the children go on a graveyard hunt.

For older children you can even have a disguised adult or two hiding around a spooky corner — but please don’t do this with younger children as it can really traumatize them.

Courtesy of the Let’s Celebrate Halloween book.

until later…
BusyMOM

Hasn’t everybody bobbed for apples at least once in their life? Well, here’s a new twist – courtesy of the Let’s Celebrate Halloween book. Try it. Get messy. Have fun…

Make this traditional game a little scarier by filling the bobbing tub
with milk and adding red food coloring.

Add enough coloring until the milk resembles a bright red color.

Then add the apples and let the children take turns bobbing for apples.

This game can get messy, so it’s best played outside if possible.

Enjoy! And for some yummy Halloween goodies to go along with all that hard work bobbing, visit this Halloween Snacks page or the Halloween Treats page for some great ideas.

That’s all for now…
BusyMOM

Well, Halloween is just full of the most ghoulish things.

children love this. Try this out if you are having a few little goblins over on this spooky night…

Cook a large pot of different shaped pasta such as spirals or macaroni
drain and cool completely.

Place cooled pasta in a large plastic bowl and add a few olives.
Add some wrapped candies or treats like mini fun-sized chocolate bars.

Cover the bowl with material that you’ve cut into a decorative shape
like a pumpkin or monsters head.

You can even use a scary cloth mask that will go over the bowl or a
decorated plastic bag.

You basically need to cover the bowl with something decorative and
head shaped that has a slit in the back.

The children should not be able to see the contents of the bowl.

Sit the children in a circle and let them take turns digging into the bowl to
find the candies.

They won’t be able to see into the bowl and the squiggly texture of the
pasta along with the olives will feel like “brains.”

Courtesy of the Let’s Celebrate Halloween book.

And for some yummy Halloween goodies to go along with all that thinking, visit this Halloween Snacks page or the Halloween Treats page for some great ideas.

Over and out until next time…
BusyMOM

Story time at Halloween… here are a few ideas…

children love a good scary story. Set the scene by lowering the lights and perhaps lighting a few candles (always supervise children around candles).

You can also play some low spooky music in the background. Take turns telling scary stories appropriate to the age group of children.

For younger children you can read a suitable scary and not make the scene too intense for them.

Make this time special by serving a Halloween punch or witch’s milk (warm milk sprinkled with a little chocolate and cinnamon).

Courtesy of the Let’s Celebrate Halloween book.

Until next time…
BusyMOM

American Girl article, brought to you using rss feeds. It’s got some great activity ideas.
Here’s a brief portion of the article
Need help eating your (or your kid’s) share of this year’s payload of Halloween candy?

Read the complete article post here